My dad wrote this story down for me, it's a well known family story I had heard many times growing up but wasn't sure about all the details. He lived much closer to the people involved, and had a clearer telling that I would have done. I once heard my great grandfather Henry's sister had a quarter on the mantle for him, which became (as I was told) a 50 cent piece and then a silver dollar. I didn't know what ever happened to it since he outlived her, and that was usually where my grandfather left off with the tale but... oh, I'm sorry. Maybe you should hear it from the beginning.

Randy

This is the result of a sermon on a Sunday night where the preacher used the phrase "Go to the Church of your Choice." This phrase was very common in the 1950's and 60's but I haven't heard it much lately. In thinking about this phrase another came to mind: "buy the truth and sell it not." This caused me to recall my own grandfather Henry, a man who bought the truth and would not sell (compromise) it.

My grandfather was born in the 1880's to Mormon parents in West Virginia and was raised as such. He married a "good" Mormon woman. In the early 1900's it was not uncommon for churches to hold tent meetings, some lasting as long as a month. Remember, this was a time with no radio, movies, or television. The tent meetings were well attended as social gatherings along with gospel teaching. My grandparents attended many but the one held by the Church of Christ challenged the audience to get a New Testament and study it and do some comparisons. See for yourself if what being taught is truth or not. My grandparents did just that. At one of the Church of Christ meetings, my grandmother said "That man is teaching the truth and I'm going to obey it" which she did that very night, and my grandfather about two weeks later. When his sister found out, she put a quarter on her mantle, intending to send it off to the Mormon church in Utah to pay for someone to get baptized for Henry after he died. With them, the Mormons had two great enemies in that area because they spent the rest of their lives unashamedly proclaiming the gospel and raising children (one son in particular named Nlerel, who had a son named Bill, who had a son named Randy.... -RC) to follow the truth.

Many years went by, and as my grandfather lay dying in the hospital two of his cousins came to visit him. At this time, grandfather had his back to them and was facing the wall. Everyone in the room knew the end was near. These two cousins came into the room and announced "Henry, we have a gift for you." With that my grandfather rolled over and faced them and asked "What do you have?" "Grace" was the answer to his question. "Where did you find it?" he asked them, to which they replied "Joe Smith of course."

My grandfather looked them in the eye and said, "Boys, you are 2000 years too late" and with that he rolled over tuming his back to them. They left him then, and he passed from this life sometime the following morning.

Yes. that quarter/dollar was sent on to Utah to pay for someone to be baptized for him. I have in my possession a copy of the paper documenting when this event actually happened. Yes, my name is also on their list for a baptism, as is my whole family and by now I assume their spouses and children, too. But [ hope all will say:

Boys, you are 2000 years too late!

Bill Crihtield